YOUR BOOK

OF ESSENTIAL
STUDY SUPPORT
YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

AN INTRO TO
STUDY SUPPORT

Whatever qualification you’re studying,

you can benefit from a helping hand
7 QUALIFICATIONS
every now and again. And that’s where 24 UNITS
AAT’s study support resources come
in. We’ve got everything you need to 255 PIECES OF SUPPORT
help you study and prepare for an
assessment, with a wide range of
support options available for every
one of our modules from foundation
right up to professional.

Whatever your learning style, there’ll be something

to suit you, from interactive exercises to help
embed your knowledge and practice assessments
to test you on key areas to real-life scenarios which
show you how to apply your learning.
Throughout this guide we’ll be taking a closer look
at the types of study support available, hearing how
they’ve helped other AAT students and letting you
know where you can find the resources you need.

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

TYPES OF STUDY SUPPORT

Green Light tests

Green Light tests allow you to test your knowledge as you move along
TOP TIP
the modules. They’re not practice assessments, but they do help you The questions are drawn
judge how well you understand the areas you’re studying and whether at random from a database
you’re ready for the assessment. so you can sit each Green
Each test features a number of multiple choice questions and when Light test more than once.
you’ve finished you’ll be scored green – showing you have good
understanding of the topic, amber – suggesting some further work
is needed before assessment, or red – showing you should definitely
spend some more time studying this topic.
You’ll also get a results breakdown showing which questions you
answered incorrectly, along with the right answer and an explanation.

“I loved the Green Light tests, they

really help you know your strengths
and weaknesses. Definitively helped
me to prepare my assessments.”
Rachel Landscheit Student

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

E-learning
130+
Stuck on something in particular and can’t find the answer in your
text book? Never fear. Our award-winning e-learning modules take E-LEARNING
some of the trickiest areas and condense them into bite-sized chunks
which you can access anywhere, anytime. Interactive elements,
MODULES
animations and screencasts help bring learning to life.

Practice assessments
Sitting a practice assessment is a useful way for you to prepare for
your assessment. These practice assessments are provided within the
assessment platform to help get you familiar with the format, layout
and structure of the assessments as well as the nature of the tasks.

“The practice assessments are vital for

getting used to the wording used on the real
assessments. Really helped me to understand
what the questions were asking.”
Katie Diffey Student

Real-life scenarios
See how what you’re learning applies to real life situations you’ll
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encounter as a finance professional with these handy scenarios. These resources will also
Focusing on real-life scenarios embeds your knowledge and helps help you prep for job
you retain it. It also makes it easier to engage with the material, as you interviews.
can see how it directly relates to you and your needs – again making
it easier to remember.

“Practise, practise, practise, to put meaning

to what you learn.”

Key calculations
Calculations make up an important part of each module and you’ll
need to know them backwards and forwards. AAT’s key calculations
are tutor-led recordings going over some of the
more difficult calculations from across the curriculum.
Listening to the tutors can help you understand the logic behind the
calculations, rather than just learning them by rote, so you won’t be
thrown if they come up in a different format in the assessment.

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

OUR QUALIFICATIONS

FOUNDATION

Foundation Foundation Diploma Foundation Award in Foundation

Certificate in Accounting and Accounting Software Certificate in
in Accounting Business Bookkeeping

ADVANCED

Advanced Advanced
Diploma in Certificate in
Accounting Bookkeeping

PROFESSIONAL

Professional Diploma
in Accounting

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

FOUNDATION QUALIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION UNIT OVERVIEW

TO FOUNDATION
QUALIFICATIONS Foundation qualifications
Foundation Foundation Foundation Foundation
AAT’s foundation qualifications are Certificate in Diploma in Certificate in Award in
perfect for people starting their career Accounting Accounting Bookkeeping Accounting
and Business Software
in finance and looking to develop the
required skills. Using Accounting
Software
There are a range of support resources available
Bookkeeping
to help you test your skills and understanding of Transactions
everyday accounting and business skills, ranging
from basic accounting principles and techniques Bookkeeping
Controls
to costing and double-entry bookkeeping and ac-
counting software. Elements
of Costing

Foundation qualifications Work Effectively

in Finance
• Foundation Certificate in Accounting
• Foundation Diploma in Accounting and Business Business
Communications
• Foundation Certificate in Bookkeeping and Personal
• Foundation Award in Accounting Software Skills

Developing
Lifelong
Learning Skills

Introduction
to Payroll
Check out the level
Introduction to
specific support Business and
available including Company Law
lucky dip tests,
synoptic assessments
and an introduction to
the qualification video.

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

Using Accounting Software Bookkeeping Controls

Real-life scenarios E-learning
• Using Accounting Software and Work Effectively • Correcting errors
in Finance • Sales and purchases ledger control accounts
• Bookkeeping Controls and Using • Wages control account
Accounting Software
• Bookkeeping Transactions, Bookkeeping Real-life scenarios
Controls and Accounting Software • Bookkeeping Transactions, Bookkeeping
Controls and Accounting Software
E-learning
• Bookkeeping Controls and Using
• Processing invoices and credit notes Accounting Software
• Entering opening balances
Green light tests
Practice assessments • Journal and error correction
• One practice assessment • Bank reconciliations
• Credit Accounts
Bookkeeping Transactions Key calculations
Real-life scenarios • Cash book receipts to general ledger
• Bookkeeping Transactions, Bookkeeping • Cash book payments to general ledger
Controls and Accounting Software • Cash book as part of the general ledger
• Bookkeeping Transactions Practice assessments
Green light tests • Two practice assessments
• Basic principles of double entry
• Cash books
Elements of Costing
• Day books
E-learning
Key calculations
• Actual and expected costs
• Balancing the accounts
• Manufacturing accounts
• Discounts received / Discounts allowed
• Total and units costs
• Calculating VAT for cash settlements
Green light tests
E-learning
• Cost identification
• Balance ledger accounting
• Costing for materials and labour
• Accounting equation and basic posting
• Variance analysis
• Writing up sales and purchase day books
• Posting from sales and sales return day books Key calculations
• Posting from purchase and purchase return • LIFO
day books • FIFO
• Fixed, variable and semi-variable costs
Practice assessments
• Two practice assessments Real-life scenarios
• Elements of Costing
Click on the resource
Practice assessments
headers to find relevant
• Two practice assessments AAT study support

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

Work Effectively in Finance Developing Lifelong Learning Skills

E-learning E-learning
• Solvency • Planning your work
• Report writing • Using information
• The accounts department
Practice assessments
• Personal development plans
• One practice assessment – combined sample
• Sustainability assessment with Business Communications and
• Introduction to professional ethics Personal Skills

Real-life scenarios
• Using Accounting Software and Work Introduction to payroll
Effectively in Finance
E-learning
This unit is assessed by the synoptic assessment
only, so doesn’t have an individual practice
• Introduction to payroll systems
assessment. • Putting into practice: statutory pay entitlements
• Putting in to practice: net pay

Business Communications Key calculations

and Personal Skills • National insurance calculations
• Calculating net pay
E-learning
• Tax free deductions and other deductions
• Apply effective communication skills in
your workplace Real-life scenarios
• Communication in your business environment • Introduction to Payroll, Business and
• Evaluate your own business Company Law
communication skills
Practice assessments
Practice assessments • Two practice assessments
• One practice assessment – combined
sample assessment with Developing Lifelong
Learning Skills Introduction to Business and
Company Law
Real-life scenarios
• Introduction to Payroll, Business and
Company Law
• Introduction to Business and Company
Law: Business structures
Click on the resource • Introduction to Business and Company
headers to find relevant Law: Redundancy
AAT study support
Practice assessments
• Two practice assessments

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

ADVANCED QUALIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION UNIT OVERVIEW

TO ADVANCED
QUALIFICATIONS Advanced qualifications
Advanced Diploma Advanced Certificate
If you already have a good grasp of in Accounting in Bookkeeping
accounting principles, AAT’s advanced
Advanced
qualifications will equip you with the skills Bookkeeping
you need to take things to the next level.
Our support resources will help you put Final Accounts
Preparation
them into practice and help you tackle
more complex accounting tasks like Spreadsheets
for Accounting
maintaining cost accounting records and
the preparation of reports and returns. Ethics for Accountants

Advanced qualifications Management

Accounting: Costing
• Advanced Diploma in Accounting
• Advanced Certificate in Bookkeeping Indirect Tax

Check out the

level specific
support available
including lucky
dip tests, synoptic
assessments and an
introduction to the
qualification video

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

Advanced Bookkeeping Final Accounts Preparation

E-learning E-learning
• Bank reconciliations • Using mark-up and margin to solve
• Accounting for the part-exchange of non-current incomplete records
(fixed) assets • Further aspects of incomplete records – use of
• Adjusting for accrued and prepaid income and accounting equations, cash and bank accounts
expenses in ledger accounts
Green Light test
• Suspense accounts
• Incomplete records – using ledger accounts
• Non-current assets and depreciation
• Incomplete records – using equations
Green light test • Partnerships
• Non-current assets
Key calculations
• Post-trial balance adjustments
• Incomplete records: sales calculation 
• Correction of errors
• Calculate mark-up and margin 
Key calculations • Partnership appropriation account (calculate,
• Accruals and / or Prepayments – calculate the appropriate and account for residual profit)
charge to the statement of profit or loss and the
Real-life scenarios
amount carried in the SOFP
• Final Accounts Preparation, Ethics
• Disposal of a non-current asset
and Spreadsheets
• Depreciation charge
Practice assessments
Real-life scenarios
• Two practice assessments
• Advanced Bookkeeping, Ethics
and Spreadsheets

Practice assessments Spreadsheets for Accounting

• Two practice assessments E-learning
• VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP
• Logical functions
• Working with numbers

Real-life scenarios
• Advanced Bookkeeping, Ethics and
Spreadsheets
• Final Accounts Preparation, Ethics
and Spreadsheets
• Management Accounting – Costing, Ethics
and Spreadsheets
• Indirect Tax, Ethics and Spreadsheets
This unit is assessed by the synoptic assessment only,
so doesn’t have an individual practice assessment

Click on the resource

headers to find relevant
AAT study support

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

Ethics for Accountants Indirect Tax

E-learning E-learning
• The conceptual framework • VAT invoicing - tax points and dates of issue
• Conflicts of interest • VAT invoices and discounts
• Money laundering • VAT – what can be claimed?
• VAT registration and deregistration
Green Light test
• Fundamental principles of ethical working Green light test
• Ethical requirements of the accounting • VAT returns
profession • VAT calculations
• Legal considerations • VAT regulations
Real-life scenarios Key calculations
• Advanced Bookkeeping, Ethics and Spreadsheets • Calculating VAT from the net and gross amount
• Final Accounts Preparation, Ethics • Bad debt relief
and Spreadsheets
• Purchase, imports and acquisitions
• Management Accounting – Costing, Ethics
and Spreadsheets Real-life scenarios
• Indirect Tax, Ethics and Spreadsheets • Indirect Tax, Ethics and Spreadsheets
This unit is assessed by the synoptic assessment only, Practice assessments
so doesn’t have an individual practice assessment
• Two practice assessments

Management Accounting: Costing

E-learning
• Under and over absorption of overheads
• Equivalent units

Green light test

• Budgeting
• Short term decision making

Key calculations
• CVP analysis: break even calculations
• Economic order quality calculation
Click on the resource
• Net present value calculation
headers to find relevant
Real-life scenarios AAT study support
• Management Accounting – Costing, Ethics
and Spreadsheets

Practice assessments
• Two practice assessments

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

PROFESSIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION TO UNIT OVERVIEW

PROFESSIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS
AAT’s professional qualification involves
substantial accounting tasks including
drafting financial statements, managing
budgets and evaluating financial
performance. These support resources
will help guide you through all these
areas and more.
Professional qualification
Professional Diploma in Accounting
Financial Statements of
Limited Companies
Management Accounting:
Budgeting
Management Accounting:
Decision and Control

Professional qualification Accounting Systems and

Controls
• Professional Diploma in Accounting
Business Tax

Personal Tax

Credit Management

External Auditing

Cash and Treasury

Management
Check out the level
specific support
available including
lucky dip tests,synoptic
assessments and an
introduction to the
qualification video

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

Financial Statements of Real-life scenarios

Limited Companies • Management Accounting: Budgeting
• Management Accounting: Decision and Control
E-learning
• Accounting adjustments Practice assessments
• Statement of cash flows • Two practice assessments
• Statement of changes in equity
• How to prepare financial statements Management Accounting:
Green light test Decision and Control
• Consolidated financial statements E-learning
• International accounting standards • Material and labour variances
• Interpretation of financial statements • Lifecycle costing
• Cash flow • Forecasting – statistical analysis
Key calculations • Causes of variance
• Statements of cash flows Green light test
• Interpretation of ratios • Calculation of material and labour variance
• Consolidated accounts • Calculation of fixed overhead variance
Real-life scenarios • Calculating performance indicators
• Financial Statements of Limited Companies • Target costing
• Analysing changes in performance indicators
Practice assessments
• Two practice assessments Key calculations
• Fixed overhead variances
• Breakeven analysis
Management Accounting: • Limiting factor analysis
Budgeting • Activity based costing
E-learning • Gearing
• Preparing production budgets with inventory
Real-life scenarios
and faulty production
• Management Accounting: Budgeting
• Preparing production budgets with limiting factors
• Management Accounting: Decision and Control
• Preparing materials, labour and machine
time budgets Practice assessments
Green light test • Two practice assessments
• Preparing production budgets (including
defective products)
• Preparing labour and material usage and
Accounting systems and Controls
cost budgets Practice synoptic assessment pre-release
• Limiting factors
Live synoptic assessment pre-release
Key calculations
This unit is assessed by the synoptic assessment only,
• Flexed budgets so doesn’t have an individual practice assessment.
• Step down method of apportionment
• Index number

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

Business Tax Credit Management

E-learning E-learning
• Sole trader losses • Contract law
• Opening and closing year rules • Taking legal action
• Partnership Tax returns • Granting (and refusing) credit
• Adjustment of profits
Green light test
• Assessable profits
• Contract law
• Corporation tax calculations
• Legislation and credit management
• Capital allowances
• Assessing credit worthiness
Key calculations
Key calculations
• Trade losses
• Credit limit assessment using ratios
• Taxation shares
• Credit collection selection of action
• Calculation of corporation tax
• Credit control analysis and suggested action
(including marginal relief)
• Early settlement discounts
• Capital gains tax
Real-life scenarios
Real-life scenarios
• Credit Management
• Business Tax
Practice assessments
Practice assessments
• Two practice assessments
• Two practice assessments

Personal Tax External Auditing

E-learning
Green light test
• Audit sampling
• Rental only
• Control testing and substantive testing
• Chargeable gains
• Audits of different types of entity
• Calculating income tax
• Benefits in kind Green light test
• Capital gains on the sales of shares and chattels • Audit risk
• Rental income and expenses • Sampling
• Internal control and control testing
Real-life scenarios
• Personal Tax Key calculations
• Verification of items in the financial statements
Key calculations
• Modified audit reports
• Share pools
• Devise tests
• Calculations of taxable income
• Assurance
• Calculation of tax payable
• Capital gains exemptions and loss Real-life scenarios
• Benefits in kind, other than cars • External Auditing
• Payment on account
Practice assessments Click on the resource
Practice assessments • Two practice assessments headers to find relevant
• Two practice assessments AAT study support

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

Cash and Treasury Management

Click on the resource
E-learning headers to find relevant
• The impact of cash settlement discounts on AAT study support
cash flow
• Sensitivity analysis
• Time series analysis

Green light test

• Logged receipts/payments and discounts
• Calculating receipts and payments for inclusion
in a cash budget
• Choice of investment options

Key calculations
• Raising finance – comparing financing options
• Cash receipts payments and their relationships
with profit
• Savings and borrowings terms
• Cash budgets and cash flows

Real-life scenarios
• Cash and Treasury Management

Practice assessments
• Two practice assessments

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

YOUR AAT STUDY CHECKLIST

As you can see, whichever qualification

you’re working towards there are lots of
study resources at your fingertips. But do
you have everything you need in place to
help you make the most out of them?

Make sure you can access the resources

All our resources are hosted online and can be
accessed through a computer, laptop, tablet or
smartphone. Whichever device you choose,
check that you can open the resource using
your current operating system.

Do you have your MyAAT access?

You’ll need to login to your MyAAT account to
access these support resources through the study
support search.

Create a working space

Whether it’s a whole room to study in or just a
corner of your bedroom or living space, decide
where you’re going to do your work. Ideally it
should be somewhere quiet and comfortable,
away from distractions like the TV.

Create a study plan

With so many resources available, you need to
think about which you’re going to use. Why not
test your knowledge with a Green Light test and
then once you’ve identified some gaps, focus on
the e-learning modules and key calculations in those
areas. Finish off with some practice assessments to
put your new knowledge into practice.

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YOUR ESSENTIAL STUDY SUPPORT

EXTRA HELP

As well as our range of study resources,

there are plenty of other tools available
to help you study whatever qualification
you’re on.

Events
Cement your learning and knowledge of the units
you’re studying with our study support webinars.
Find out what’s going on and when by subscribing
to the AAT events calendar or registering your
interest for upcoming webinars. Missed an event?
Don’t worry. You can watch previous recordings in
our study support webinar library.

Online community
Chat to fellow students and find out their best study
hints and tips through the online community. There
are threads for most qualifications which are great
for discussing particularly tricky aspects of the
courses and finding out which study resources
people have found most helpful.
Check out the online community

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ANY QUESTIONS?
Our Customer Support team is here to answer any
questions, you can call them on +44 (0)20 3735 2468.
Lines are open 09.00 to 17.00 (UK time), Monday to Friday.
Otherwise you can email them at customersupport@aat.org.uk

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